FCPS finance director who was criticized in investigative report has retired

Longtime Fayette County Public Schools executive director of financial accounting, Rodney Jackson, has retired.

FCPS confirmed Friday morning that he had retired, district spokesperson Miranda Scully told the Herald-Leader.

In June, district officials confirmed that Jackson was on medical leave after not commenting on his employment for months.

Jackson held leadership positions in the finance department for more than a decade, according to his personnel file.

Jackson, who has been employed with the district since 1999, has not attended or spoken at Fayette County Board of Education meetings since March, according to board documents.

The school board and Fayette County Superintendent Demetrus Liggins, now on administrative paid leave pending a review of his employment, hired Kyna Koch, who previously worked for the Kentucky Department of Education, earlier this year to examine its finances.

Koch and Liggins announced in April that a review showed district finances had been misstated for years. This was after the district already had acknowledged it was dealing with a significant budget deficit.

An independent investigation commissioned by the school board and released in March by a Missouri law firm found that Jackson failed to meet expectations by not doing enough analysis and communicating the implications. Jackson also didn’t engage in intentional misconduct, but didn’t fulfill “responsibilities as the head of FCPS’ Financial Accounting and Benefits department,” the investigation said.

The district is now trying to right its books, which has led to the elimination of 120 positions, cuts to staff work days and a $95 million short-term loan to help the district’s cash flow.

Koch has said the district will have to re-state its finances for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal year.

Acting Director of Finance Amy Smith told the board in May that in 2025, the district overstated or overestimated its local tax collections by more than $8.5 million. In addition, there were multiple instances where money was deposited in the wrong accounts, Smith said.

Koch has also said there were times when the district missed deadlines for grants. In one instance, a $200,000 contract for a software program was never approved by the board, which is required.

Jackson signed that contract, according to records the Herald-Leader received through an Open Records Act request.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 10:56 AM.